One of my friends went to church recently, and the priest talked about Bitcoin during the Sermon. It can’t get any more mainstream than that, right? The incredible popularity of Bitcoin in 2017 is of course, directly tied to its rapid increase in price and its success as the asset, currency, or investment to beat. With gains at almost 2000% in 2017, no other investment comes close. What more the gains of the last 2 or 3 years? Heck, if you bought $100 worth of Bitcoin in 2010, it would be close to $100 million today. So what are these better investments I am talking about?
There are better investments, if you know where to look. An investment, by the way, is not just a “money” thing. It isn’t just about profits or gains. An investment is a commitment to something you believe in, something you want to support not just financially but also in spirit. It can be money, effort, work, time, and other intangible resources.
So here are the five investments you should prioritize over Bitcoin:
Investing In Your Physical Health
How many of you haven’t slept for a full 8 hours in the past month? If you are deep into the Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency space, I would say about 99% think sleeping is overrated and would rather watch the markets. Yet people who sleep less than the recommended 7 to 8 hours per night are more likely to suffer from chronic conditions like cardiovascular disease, obesity, depression, diabetes and even dementia, experts say. Research found that people who averaged 4 hours of sleep were 4 times more likely to catch colds. What is the point of accumulating wealth if you will end up suffering disease and illnesses in the future, or even today?
A lot of Crypto traders and Bitcoin startup people also end up neglecting their physical well-being. Exercise takes a back seat, more time sitting in an office in front of a computer, and unhealthy diets of coffee and fast food are common. Again, you might have a lot of coins, but what’s the point if you will end up spending that for medical bills?
A crashing market is not a real problem in the grand scheme of things. You can always earn lost money back. But when your health deteriorates from neglect, it will take a lot more to get back to health.
Take a few hours per day to invest in some exercise, even just taking short walks will do wonders for your health. Invest in a class like yoga or boxing to release some of the stresses that come with this industry. Make sure you get enough sleep so that you can attack the next day sharper and in better mental condition.
Investing In Your Mental Health
Are you the type of person who checks on the price of Bitcoin and your altcoin portfolio every few minutes? Are you constantly checking reddit and other often toxic social media sites that gets you riled up and angry at others? Are you working in a Blockchain startup and are constantly on the edge due to uncertainty about your company’s future? Did you put a lot of money in an ICO that isn’t doing so well? All of these things are highly stressful, and stress is deadly.
More important than your physical well-being is taking care of your mental health. Stress is the biggest killer out there, and people in peak physical form can break down from mental strain in the blink of an eye. The world of Bitcoin and Cryptos is a highly stressful world. Step back. Take breaks. Disconnect once in a while. Be grateful for what you have, don’t stress too much about what you want.
This is a marathon, not a sprint. Bitcoin and Crypto will still be around even if you take a week-long vacation. Do it now, if you havent had one in years. The investment will be worth it.
Investing In Learning Something New
When learning something new, the brain releases endorphins, making you feel good! Always invest in learning something new. Bitcoin technology is a lot to process for any person, and there is always something new to learn every day. Take the time to invest in some books about Bitcoin or any of the related technologies like cryptography, blockchains, and even economics and monetary policy.
But also, don’t get stuck with trading or learning about Bitcoins or other cryptos 24/7. By investing in a new skill set, your brain gets a great workout and will stay sharp and excited to work. Learn to code if you haven’t yet, learn public speaking and explain Bitcoin to groups of people, learn Jiu Jitsu or even a musical instrument — literally anything new to learn will be a great benefit to you as a person both physically and mentally. You will stay sharp and be able to face the day to day stuff with a better state of mind.
Investing In Meaningful Relationships
No, your “relationship” with Blockfolio and Coinmarketcap doesn’t count.
Are you always on twitter getting on flame wars about which version of Bitcoin is better? Are you arguing with haters all the time trying to defend Bitcoin? Are you constantly trying to get validation from your peers by constantly being on feedback-loop places like Reddit? Take a step back and realize that these are unhealthy habits and relationships. Yes, that thing with that altcoiner you hate and always argue with online is a relationship, albeit a hateful, angry, and stressful one.
Invest in meaningful relationships, and if you already have one, don’t let Bitcoin or any kind of work get in the way of it. I have personally seen relationships break down because of Bitcoin obsession. Bitcoin and crypto are technologies that are exciting and people get passionate about it, but if it is at the expense of hindering new and meaningful relationships from developing, or worse, breaks down existing meaningful relationships, then I guarantee it won’t be worth it.
Meet new people. Connect with old friends (and stop talking about Bitcoin! Unless they ask!). Make sure to visit your parents if they are still around, because they wont be around forever. I spent way less time with my family when I started SCI in 2014, and when my father passed away last year, it was tough. You can earn back lost money, but you can never get back precious time spent with your loved ones. Invest more in that. You will never regret it.
Investing In Your Character
Usain Bolt ran around a grand total of 2 minutes in his finals appearances to win his major medals, earning millions of dollars in the process, and if you calculate his earnings per second, it is in the millions of dollars. Is he lucky? No. To get there, he invested twenty years of hard work and thankless training. This is the true meaning of investing.
Invest in making yourself a better version of who you were yesterday. Be more courageous. Try new things. Stay humble. Take time for fun! Make new friends. Always be curious. Surround yourself with people who are smarter and more successful, people who can teach you something. Appreciate the present and let go of your toxic relationships. Find work that gives you fulfillment.
Bitcoin is important, yes, but a lot of people have developed an unhealthy obsession about it — just check twitter and see for yourself. It is important that we focus on developing this new technology and the infrastructure that will allow future generations to enjoy its benefits, but if the cost is the deterioration of our physical, mental, and social well-being, then maybe it isn’t worth it.
These are just some of the things in which, if you just invest the right amount of time and effort, will pay off much more than Bitcoin or any financial investment, guaranteed.
